Depositing machine for dough, semifluid, pasty, or like materials



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. M. CHAMBERS Filed Feb. 7, 1951 v May-.10, 1932 DEPOSITING MACHINE FOR poucm, SEMIFLUID, PASTY, OR LIKE MATERIALS J 3 I 1.. Z r

a 7 .4 o a w May 10, 1932. R. M. CHAMBERS DEPOSLTING MACHINE FOR DOUGH, SEMIFLUID, PASTY, 0R LIKE MATERIALS Filed Feb. 7, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 10, 1932. R. M. CHAMBERS 1,857,621

DEPOSITING MACHINE FOR DOUGH, SEMIFLUID, PASTY, QR LIKE MATERIALS Filed Feb 7. 19:51

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Arromrsr May 10, 1932. R. M. CHAMBERS DEPOSITING MACHINE FOR vDOUGH, SEMIFLUID, PASTY, OR LIKE MATERIALS Filed Feb. 7195-1 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 a w m 0 m w M A W ,l,

May 10, 1932. R. M. CHAMBERS 7 1,357,621

DEPOSITING MACHINE FOR DOUGH, SEMIFLUID, PASTY, OR LIKE MATERIALS Filed Feb. 7, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 'IIIIIIIIIIIIII ATTo/Fmsy Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STAT ROBERT MARTINo AMBERs, 0F FINAGHY, BELrAsT, IRELAND, nssreivon To enonen MARTIN AND TERESA MA IN, BOTH onBnLFAsn-InnLANn 1 DEPOS ITING MACHINE FOR DOUGH, SEMIFLUID, PASTY, OR LIKE MATERIALS Application filed February 7, 1931,.SerialNo.

This invention relates to machines for depositing semi-fluid or pasty material or materials such as dough and other baking mixtures;

In such machines a bulk supply of the plastic material from which. quantities are to be discharged is contained in a container means, and valve meansis provided for' con trolling the discharge of quantitiesof the material by ejector means. I

According to this invention an intermittent motion is imparted to the-ejector. means such that, during the'operation of the valve means,-a dwell period is provided in which so that when the valve means closes,'th e ejector means is always at the same stage in its operation irrespective of variations in the extent of movement of the ejector means.

The invention will now be described, by

way of example, with reference to the. an-' nexed drawings, in which,

depositing machine in accordance with the invention;

depositing machine, partly in section to show the plunger and cylinder and the valve;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detailview of the quadwith the rant lever 88 and its connection gudgeon block 47; I V

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail elevation of the gearing whereby a pause is given to the plungers while the valve operating ca'mis opening the valves; 1

Fig. K

tbiscase being shown in plan;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view, showingdif ferent positions of the valve operating gear 'for different adjustments of the quadrant V quadrant'lever and valve controlled'gear'; i

is another enlarged detail vie wo f the gearing shown in Fig. 4, the gearing in is a similar diagrammatic view of 514,244, and in Great Britain March 26,1930;

' Figs. 8 and 9 are additional sectional detailviews showing the plunger and valve in different positions. i

Referring to the drawings,

The hopper 27 for containing the material to be deposited is fitted on top of a casting 28 containing the-cylinders 29, the tops of which open into the bottom of the hopper 27 The plungers 30 are connected to a top moving beam 31 in each end of which is a fixed guide bar 32working in guides injbrackets 33 at-' tached to the casting 28 containingthe cylinders 29. Theguide bars 32 have racks cut on them which'are each engaged by segment wheels 34 (see Fig. 1) keyedor otherwise attached to a rocking shaft 35 and imparting an equal motion to each end of the beam 31. The rocking shaft 35 takes its motion from the crank 36 and connecting rod 37 acting on a quadrant lever 38 attached to the rocking shaft 35. ,As the crank36 passes overthe dead center-at the end of the down stroke of the beam 31, the motion of the plungers 30 during the time the valves 39 in the valve plate 39' are closed,is'so small as to be negligible. It is thereforeunnecessary'to make this point as in hand operated machines. On the down stroke, however, provisionis made j for apause or dwell in the motion of the Fig. 2 is a general front elevation of the 'plungers 3O just'as they are entering the top of the cylinders 29 v(see Fig- 2). To'se'cure this, the crank 36 instead'ofbeing keyed directly on the main shaft 40 whichhasa continuous motion and to which the cam 41 for openingv the valves .39lis keyed, is driven throughfa chain of-four gears, consisting of two equal engaging gears 42'fand 43 (Fig. .5) of which the driver 42 is keyedon the main shaft 40 and the driven wheel 13 is keyedon ,a counter-shaft 4 4. The second pair of gears comprises a segment wheel-45 which is the driver and is keyedgon the countergshaft .44. The'segment wheel 45'e11gages, intermittent- ;ly, the pinion wheel 46 keyed on the boss of the crank36 which is free to revolve inde? pendently on the main shaft 40, but having The number of effective teeth on thesegment Es PATENT) once] I V special provision for a pause or dwell at v Fig. 1 is an end elevatlon of a power dIlVGIl' wheel 45 are equal to those in the pinion wheel 46, so that the crank 36 will give a revolution for each revolution of the main shaft 40 and cam 41 hereinbefore described, the crank 36 and the cam 41 being always in the same relative position to each other, immediately before the pause of the crank begins as shown in the detail views Figs. 4 and 5 where the segment wheel 45 is just disengaging the pinion wheel 46 causing a pause in the motion of the crank 36 during which the valves 39 are opened by the valve controlling cam 41 hereinbefore mentioned, the cam moving so that its, point of contact withthe roller 6.9 travels from the point U to the point V. The relativepositions of the cam 41-and the crank 36, at the'end of the fpause.areshown of thercrank pin s othat the relative positions v abevelpinion 48 engaging teeth 38 cut on in Fig. 1. After the pause dueto the gap in the segment wheel-45,thez segment-wheel 45 again engagesvthepin-ion wheel 46, drivingthe crank 36 one revolution and'overtaking the cam41, bringing thecrank 36 and the cam '41 into the same relative position shown in Figs; 4and. 5 when the'next pause begins... A sultable :interlocking device is provided to-ensure that the -teeth of the segment wheel 45 will properly register with those in the: pinion wheel 46 when. re-engaging. In the example shown this is provided for by providing a portion of a cylindrical 153G645? concentricwith the-:segment wheel 45 andiattached to it, thepinion wheel 46having'alocking piece- 46 attached to it with a hollow face 46 and struck from the same center'as the segment wheel 45 when the 5 thereby preventing the pinion wheel 46 from moving -while the locking member 46 engages the member 45. r f

A quadrant. lever- 38. attached to the. rockingshaft35 is struck with a radius equal to the length of. the connecting rod37 and is so set. that. when. the plungers. 30:-arej:ust entering the cylinders 29, with the crank36 at'th'e pause position, the centre: of the curve of the quadrant 38 coincides with the'centre 36 ofthexvalves and plungers atthis point is constantifor all positions of an.- adjustment block 47. The adjustment block47 is slidablei-on; the quadrant lever. v38', the; gudgeon pin. 37* of the connecting rod 3.7.being formed Ontheblock- 4T, which will; hereinafter be caliedthe gudgeon block; 47-. -.The .g-udgeon block47 is adjustable along the quadrant l 8 by means of a hand wheel 47 which operates the face of the quadrant 38 (see-Fig. T he rimof the hand wheel 47 and the face of the quadrant-l'lever38 a-reprovided with numbers or indexes, whereby a-record of anysetting can be: kept. locking. screw. 49. is provided rounded by the bush 50 which internally is a hollow cone fitting the pinion 48-and externally cylindrical to fit in the casting 51. Part of the bush 50 is cut away to allow the teeth 38 of the quadrant lever 38 to pass through and engage with those in the pinion 48. The

bush 50 is adjustable axially in thecasting 51 by the ring 52 threaded in the casting 51 and through which the hollow stem" 53 of the bush 50passes and in which. it is secured by the fixed collar 54. The bush 50 is prevented from turning in the: casting 51 by the key screw 55 engaging a slot. in the bush 50; The hollow shank 53. is tapped'to-receivethe look 'ing screw 49. The pinion 48 is preferably cut integral with; the? hollow stem. 57. through which the locking screw 49 passes. The. lock.-

ing screw 49 is free to turn in the pinion48,

but. is retained. axiallyat the: pinion end .by the fixed collar 54 and at=the other end by: the face of the thumb control49 secured to the locking screw 49.. The thumb control 49 is for the purpose of:-revolving: the; screw 49. It will; be obvious: that when: the locking screw 49:isz screwed inwards it will-carry the lines. in Fig.3, forcingthe; quadrant lever 38 against-the: facesof. the casting 51'. "Thebush 50 is so adjusted bypmeans 'ofthe threaded:

can then-be lockefd by the screw 56. To; pre- Vent the adjusting screw49, w'hen2screwed outwards, from locking the face'of the pinionx48 against the casting 51, two lock nuts are provided-at. 57 and are so adjusted and locked on the screw 49 that when the-adjusting-screw .49 is-screwed fully out, withdrawing the pinion by means of the collar 54,:these nutswillengage the face ofthe part 53,1eaving a certain amount of working clearance between the face of. the pinion 48-a-ndthe casting 51. The hand wheel 47 iskeyed onthe stern 57 and has preferably index. teeth cut on'its face 47 and anindex finger: 58 fixed on an arm ofa-collar 59 which retains theconnecting rod 37 on the gudgeon :pin 37 to which it is fixed byascrowand steady pin. Theindex finger'58' engages teeth 47 in the periphery of the hand wheel47 as. the locking screw 49 is being screwed in and" preventing" the index wheel 47 from turning while thelocking screw 49 is beingtightened up.

clear of the index fingery58, thefdotted linesv Figs. 4 and 5.

38 the shortest stroke of the plungers will be obtained. Any particular setting of the gudgeon block 47 on the lever 38 will give; a corresponding definite stroke to the plungers and will therefore measure ofi a definite amount of the material from the hopper 27.

The material is prevented from flowing down through the cylinders 29 while the valves 39 are open by reason of the plungers 30 form ing plugs in the tops of the cylinders. I

The valve gear is shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 8 and 9. The valves 39 are of the sliding type, the valve plate 39 acting in connection with all the cylinders 29and controlled as to opening by the cam 41 (see Figs. 1 and 4) and as to closing by a rocking cam (see Fig. 1 and also Figs. 6 and 7). The

rocking cam 60 is pivoted on an extension of the connecting rod 37 at 36 near one end and controlled by a link 61 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 61 and preferably, as shown, at the pivot of the T-shaped lever 62. The T-shaped lever is an inverted T- shape with the long arm upwards and the cross arm underneath, it is pivoted to the frame at 61* atthe intersection of the vertical arm with the cross piece. The long arm 62 is forked (see Figs. 1 and 2) with a roller 62 on one end of the forkbearing on the cam 41 for opening the valves 39 and another roller 62 on the other end of the'fork engaging on the cam plate 60 intermittently, the object being to control the closing of the valves 39 so that the closing ofthe valves will always take place at the end of the down stroke of the plungers 30', which end of stroke obviously varies as the gudgeon block47 is moved up or down the quadrant lever 38.

One end 62 ofthe lever 62 is attached to a spring 63 which holds the rollers 62 and 62 respectively in contact with the cam 41 or the rocking cam plateGO while the other end 62 of the T-shaped lever is connected by a link 64 with therocking arm 65 controlling ing rod 37 beyond the crank-pin 36 andthe the valve lever 66.

The relative position'of a plunger 30 and" valve opening 39 are shown in three positions at Figs. 2, 8 and Fig. 2 shows the valve 39 fully open with the plunger30 at the end of the pause period. Fig. 8 shows the valve 39 fully closed, with the plunger 30 completely withdrawn from the cylinder 29 and at the top of its stroke; Fig.9 shows the plunger 30 at the beginning of the pause period and the valve 39 just beginning to open. Fig. 9 corresponds with the position of the Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views which gearing-and cam as shown'at' have been provided in order to illustrate the automatic action of the cam plate 60 in secur ing automatic adjustment of the time of clos-' different sizes of deposits as may be required.

The difference in angular position of the crank dead centre is shown in Fig. 7 by the angle between the lines A and B. Fig. 6 shows the longest stroke of the piston 30 with the gudgeon pin er -011 the quadrant lever 38 as nearto therocking shaft 35 as possible and giving the greatestmotionto theplunger-3O and the largest deposit. Fig; 7shows the gudgeon pin 37? well down on the lever 38 and giving a short stroke to the plunger 30 and consequent small deposit. l Vhen the gudgeon pin 37 is at the end of the lever 38, the roller 62 follows thecam 4:1 and the cam plate 60 does'not come into action. Varying positions of the parts are indicated at Figs.

6 and 7, the close dotted lines indicate the first position, the full lin'es'indicate the second position and the chain dotted linesindicate the third position; The relativepositions of the piston 30 and the quadrant lever 38 do not coincide in both Figs. 6 and 7' on account of the difference in the stroke. Fig. 7 the roller 62 is just leaving the cam 41 with the cam plate 60 takingcharge. As

these are only diagrammatic drawings, for.

the sake of clearness and easy reference, the

valve gear, which should be at right angles to the rest'of the drawings, is shown in the same plane. Fig. 7, as it will be Fig. 6. q a I The roller 62 is shown in Fig. 6 leaving the cam41 and therocking cam or cam plate 60 taking charge of the roller62 on one arm of the fork lever 62 as the crankpin' comes. to the position shown at 36,the rocking cam or cam plate 60 beingunder'the control of the pin'36 on the extension of the connect- The valvegear is omitted in H "clearly understood from link 61 which is centered at; the other end to the frame ofthe machineat' 61 Atthis point the valve 39 is open and the plunger 30 occupies the position 30 in Fig.6,the quadrant lever'38 occupying the position shown in dotted lines at 38 Fig. 6. The cam plate 60 holds the roller 62 with the lever 62" at the same position and with the valve 39 still open until the quadrant lever 38"1nove s to the position shownin' fulllines at Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 the crank and connecting rod having moved to the position shownin full lines when the cam plate '60 will also bein the. position shown in :full l-ines.- Thecrankiaat this position, approaching the dead centre andthequadrant 38. and the plunger are practically stationary, until the crank reaches the point 86 but while the crank is moving from the position 36 to the position 36" the cam plate has moved from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in chain dotted lines at 60, the roller 62 following it under the action of the spring 63, and. moving the lever '62 from the position shown in fulllines to the position shown in chain dotted lines and acting through the link 64 on the rocking arm 65, moving it from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dottedlines, carrying with it the lever 66 and closing the valve 39 through t-helink 39 moving the valverfrom the open the largest depositas shown at position shown in full lines to the closed position shown in dotted lines Fig, 6; The angle between the lines C and C indicates the total angular travel of the quadrant 38 for Fig. 6, whilst the anglebetween thelines D and D indi- 'cates the angular travel of the quadrant 38 when making thesmaller deposit according to the adjustment ofthe gudgeon'pin 37* on the quadrant lever 38, as shown in Fig. 7. The angle between the lines A and B, shows the difference in angle of the crank when on the dead centre in each case.

The operation of the apparatus is briefly as follows Commencing with the up stroke of the plungers 30 under the action of the quadrant 38 and connecting-rod 37, it will be apparent that the valve 39, which has initially been closed at the end of the preceding down stroke by: the spring 63 acting through the lever 62, link 64:, arm 65, lever 66 and link 39 j is kept closed by the action of the said spring 63 until the pl'ungers 30 reach the top of their stroke and have moved a short distance through their down stroke to the position shown inFigiQ. As will be understood, the

" plastic material from the hopper 27 enters the cylinders 29 during the upward and downward movement of the plungers 30 above the level of the open upper end of the cylinder 29. The pause or dwell in the .motion of the plungers 80 then ensues while they are in the position shown in Fig. 2, this result :being coincident with the movement of the gap. portion of the segment wheel is over the teeth of the wheel 46, by reason of which gapthe result in question is caused. As hereinbefore stated, the opening ofthe valves 39 takes place in the interval provided by the 7 said pause or dwell, each valve being 0? ing through the roller 62,

moved by the action of the cam 41 operaf k T-shaped lever 62, link 6l, 'arm 65, lever 66 and link-39 'At the end of the pausefor dwell, the down-' ward stroke of the plungers 30 is continued by the crank'36, connecting rod 37 and Quad: i'rant lever 38. V The valves 39'remain open during thepdown stroke of the plungers30 until the plungers 30, under the action of the quadrant lever 38 almost-reach the bottom of their stroke. At'this point, the cam ll has rotated free of the roller 62, so that the T- shaped arm 62 turns under the action of the spring 63 until the roller62 comes into contact with the cam plate 60. By. this move ment, the valves39 areclosed through the intermediary of the link 64,.arm 65, lever '66, and link 39, .the instant of closing of the valves 39 being determined. by the position of the cam plate 60, which-position, in turn, varies automatically with the adjustment of the stroke-adjusting connecting rod 37 in virtue ofvthe connection ofthecam plate 60- with this connectingrod through the pin 36 on thefextension of this rod. This completes the cycle of operations taking place during each revolution of the .main shaft 40, and,

again moving to the upper end of their stroke. 7

It will be understood, that the invention is applicable to; machines for depositing or ejecting quantities of any viscous, liquid, granular or othersubstance, such as tures, am or flour, and any other substances capable of flowing from. a bulk supply into individual ejector vessels or cylinders, all such substances being hereinafterreferred to, for convenience, as plastic material.

I claim I 1. A machine for depositing quantities of plastic material from a bulk supply thereof, comprisinga. trough, for said bulk supply, a plurality of cylinders communicating with said trough, plungersjfor ejecting'material entering said cylinders from: said trough, valve means for controlling the discharge of said quantities from said cylinders, actuating means for said valve means,'operating means adapted to operate said plungers, a toothed wheel, means for rotating said toothed wheel uniformly, a toothed segment having the same number of teeth as said toothed wheel and a gap in the pitch circle thereof, and transmission mechanism betweensaid toothed segment and said plungers whereby an intermittent motion is imparted to said.

cake mix- I valve means for. controlling the discharge of said quantities from: said: cylinders,v a swing ing lever adapted to reciprocate said plungers, a crank for oscillating said lever, means for periodically imparting to said crank'a complete turn alternating with a dwell period wherein said crank is stationary, a rotatable cam, operating means for driving said cam, lever mechanism operable by said cam so as to open said valve means, spring means for closing said valve means, and a control plate for timing the closing of said valve means by said spring.

3. A machine for depositing quantities of plastic material from a bulk supply thereof, comprising a trough for said bulk supply, a plurality of cylinders communicating with said trough, plungers for ejecting material I entering said cylinders from said trough,

valve means for controlling the discharge of said quantities from said cylinders, a swinging lever adapted to reciprocate said plungers, a rotatable crank, means for periodically imparting to said crank a complete turn alternating with a dwell period wherein said crank is stationary, a rotatable cam, operating means for rotating said cam continuously,

lever mechanism operable by said cam so as to open said valve means, spring means for closing said valve means, a. control plate for timing the closing of said valve means by said spring means, a connecting rod for transmitting motion from said crank to said swinging lever, means whereby connection between said swinging lever and connecting rod is adjustable, and means for locking said I swinging lever and connecting rod intheir adjusted position.

4. A machine for depositing quantities of plastic material from a bulk supply thereof, comprising a trough for said bulk supply, a plurality of cylinders communicating with said trough, plungers for ejecting material entering said cylinders from said troughs, valve means for controlling the discharge of said quantities from said cylinders, a swing-v ing lever adapted to reciprocate said plungers, a crank for oscillating said lever, means for imparting periodically tosaid crank a complete turn alternatingwith a dwell period wherein said crank is stationary, a r0- tatable cam, operating means for rotating said cam continuously, lever mechanism operable by said cam so as to open sald valve means, spring means for closing said valve means, means whereby the extent of movement of said plungers can be variedso as to vary the quantities ejected thereby, a spring for closing said valve means, a control plate for limiting movement of said valvemeans by said spring, and means whereby said control plate is pivotally connected with said I crank so that said valve means closes said cylinders when said plungers are at the same stage of their periodic motion, irrespective of variations in the extent of movement of the plungers.

valve means for controlling the discharge of said quantities from said cylinders, actuating means for said valve means, operating means adapted'to operate said plungers, a toothed wheel, means for rotating said toothed wheel uniformly, a toothedsegment having the same number of teethas said toothed wheel and a gap in the pitch circle thereof, means for preventing ;movement of vsaid toothed wheel when disengaged at said gap from the teeth ofsaid toothed segment, and transmission mechanism ,be-

tween said toothed segment and said plungers whereby an intermittent motion is imparted to said plungers such'that during operation of said valve means a pause occurs in the operation of said plungers. v I

6. A machine for depositing quantities of plastic material from a bulk supply thereof,

comprising a trough for said bulk supply a plurality of cylinders communicating with said trough, plungers for ejecting material entering said cylinders from said trough, valve means for controlling the discharge of said quantities from said cylinders, a swing-1 ing lever adapted to reciprocate said plungers, a rotatable crank, means for imparting periodically to said crank a complete turn alternating with a dwell period wherein said crank is stationary, a rotatable cam, operating means for rotating said cam continuously, lever mechanism operable by said cam so as to open. said valve means, spring means for closing said valve means, a control plate for timing the closing of said valve means by said spring means, a connecting rod for transmitting motion from said crank to said swinging lever, means whereby connection between said swinging lever and connecting rod is adjustable, means for locking said swinging lever and connecting rod in their adjusted position, and means whereby said control plate is pivotally connected with said crank so that said valve means closes said cylinders always'when said plungers are at the bottom of their stroke irrespective-of variations in the length of said stroke.

7. A machine for depositing quantities of plastic material from a bulk supply thereof, comprising a trough for said bulk supply, a

plurality of cylinders communicating with said trough, a plunger for each cylinder adaptedto eject material entering therein from said trough, a valve for each cylinder reciprocate said plungers, a rotatable crank,

adapted to control discharge of material crank a complete turn alternating with a dwell period wherein said crank-is stationary,

a rotatable cam, operating means for rotating said cam continuously, mechanism operable by said cam so as to open said valve means, spring means for operating said mechanism to close said valve means, a control member for timing-the closing of said-valve means by said spring means, a connectingrod for transmitting motion from said crank to said swinging lever, means whereby connection between said swinging lever and connecting rod is adjustable to vary the strokeof said plungers, and wedge means for locking said swinging lever and connecting rod in their adjusted position.

'- In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT -MARTIN CHAMBERS. 

